Learning about Lancaster
Three of Boston's four minor league teams rained out Friday.
And there's not much to say about the Red Sox major league game (Shaun Marcum shows that the Jays do indeed have a deep pitching rotation ... as along as A.J. Burnett's health holds up).
The one minor league game played was in the California League, where Lancaster lost 7-5 at High Desert. A couple of players stood out. And while it's only two games into the season, maybe we can bookmark them and check their progress later.
Outfielder Reid Engel comes from the magical draft class of 2005 (5th round). Picked out of high school, he does not turn 21 until May. He went 3-for-5 Friday and his batting a nifty .500 (5-for-1).
Third baseman Jorge Jimenez, 23, may not be considered a big prospect (15th round pick, 2006), but the Red Sox thought enough of him to skip him over low Class A to the advanced CLass A California League. Jimenez is batting .625 (5-for-8).
Reliever Richard Lentz, 23, was a 19th round pick in 2006 out of the University of Washington. He's been okay in his prevous two seasons. He got off to a good start in 2008 with two perfect innings (four strikeouts) on Friday.
Lancaster is an interesting place to play (a place the Red Sox will be leaving after this year, since they bought their own advanced Class A team in the Carolina League - in Salem, VA - and will move there next year). Read more about Lancaster in my Sunday column.
As for today, Friday's rained-out Sea Dogs game gave me a chance to visit with reliever Hunter Jones. See the story in today's Press Herald.
Posted at 08:07 AM
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